[PFS PbP] Scenario #43: The Pallid Plague (Inactive)

Game Master Deane Beman

The next morning he wakes and stretches. He takes a moment to preen his feathers, trying to get that horrible aftertaste out of his mouth. "Better, yes," he says to Saera, "though I really hope I won't need any more of that stuff. I've had roadkill that tasted better. Glad we caught it in time. Ready when everyone else is."

Balon should have another dose of the anti-plague. He still looks a little pale.

Zing!

Balon smiles, appreciating the joke. "Yes, yes, the half-vampire looks pale. You are all so clever, my friends." The sarcasm may as well be blood dripping from his mouth, it's so obvious. :-P

The streets of Falcon’s Hollow are fairly deserted. The few citizens out and about hurry quickly to their destinations. Beggars and urchins lean against walls and crouch next to shipping crates and tarred barrels. The clinking of a tin cup on the street’s cobblestones and the rustling of wind-blown notices affixed to a tavern wall rise above the silence that fills the nearly empty streets.

When you exit Laurel’s shop, several people push a two-wheeled cart overflowing with flowers down the wagon-rutted dirty street, bringing it to a halt in front of Roots and Remedies. They wear tattered clothes over ragged studded leather armor and smell as though they have not bathed in months.

Separate check:

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

"These people look to be attempting to spread the disease again. We'll have to stop them, I suppose." He sighs, resigning himself to fighting more people who should be his friends.
Why can't they see that what they're doing is not what the Pallid One would want? What are the priests around here teaching them? he muses to himself, as he brandishes his scythe, ready to intimidate the people selling the flowers.

Perception 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Perception 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Well lovely... the tiefling days noting townsfolk up the road. They are all holding the flowers. Apparently they had other groves.

Upon hearing Balor describe the new arrivals, Iowyn gets a little panicked. Her tail swiftly retrieves a vial of alchemist's fire to set the cart alight.

How many people in the streets seem to have the flowers? And is the cart close enough to burn it by lobbing a flask?

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Saera moves out of the shop, aims her pistol at one of the people pushing the cart, and pulls the trigger. "Stop doing this! Geez, didn't you get the hint yesterday?!"

Shoot: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Saera's shot takes down one of the cultists. The other one grabs his dagger before shouting "You fools! These people are already doomed and so are you!"

1. Vincent, Saera, Iowyn
2. Cultist
3. Balon, Calchas, Kiyan

@Iowyn - The cart is right outside the shop; you can attempt to burn it if you'd like. The scenario only says "several people" have the flowers. I imagine Laurel can see to the infected.

Shoot: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 5 - 2 = 8 Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

Saera's quick to reload her pistol with a paper cartridge and shoot again, this time aiming for the other cultist. She's perhaps a bit too quick, and thus a bit sloppy in her aim.

The living one is the one with the top hat, isn't it? He's just outside the 1st range increment so I'm shooting versus his normal AC.

The tiefling lobs her vial at the cart. As it shatters, flames ignite the flowers in the cart and splash onto all the cultists surrounding it.

Alchemist's fire: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Damage to cart/flowers: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Damage to others in splash: 1

Plus 1d6 next turn to anyone/anything hit

Yep...the top hat fellow is the only conscious cultist. These fellows are significantly weaker than the gardeners.

Saera's second shot is not as accurate as her first. Meanwhile Iowyn lobs a bomb at the flower cart causing it to be set aflame.

Seeing the second cultist draw a weapon, Vincent charges the man, seeking to disable him swiftly before anyone else comes to harm.

Move, Arcane Strike, Attack

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage: 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Just to clarify, since I forgot to be specific: flask was thrown at top left corner of the cart to splash on both cultists and the other 3 squares of the cart.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

I'm guessing we can recognize the flowers as being the same as the ones from the field?

He squawks loudly, trying to get the attention of the other townspeople further off. "Stop! Those flowers are deadly!" He heads up the road a little and draws his sword, both to get closer to the other townspeople and to cut off the cultist's escape route.

Balon will charge at the Mr. Burns-looking guy, using the back of his scythe-blade to try to deal nonlethal damage to him.

Nonlethal scythe: 1d20 + 3 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 2 - 4 = 16
NL damage: 2d4 + 1 ⇒ (4, 3) + 1 = 8

Vincent takes down the second cultist with relative ease.

Combat over

"What's the ruckus about out here?" Laurel emerges from her shop to witness the pandemonium unfolding just outside her door. "Are those what I think they are?" she asks pointing at the cart full of flameblooms. "Alright, alright. Finishing destroying those but be careful! I'll round up those wool headed townsfolk and give 'em the cure. It's a wonder these people manage to survive each day....accepting flowers from filthy strangers with pustules all over their bodies. Back in my day...."

----

With the rest of the flowers destroyed and the infected townsfolk lined up in front of Laurel's shop you search the bodies of the cultists. Along with two scrolls of lesser restoration; you find a map to a clearing in the nearby woods as well as a handwritten note from someone named Vondrella ordering the cultists to bring the wagon into town in preparation for tonight's ritual.

Well... at least we have a lead now... Iowyn says after reading the note.

Do we have a clear idea of where the wagon was supposed to end up in town? Maybe we could plan an ambush there.

Iowyn asks Laurel if she knows anything about this Vondrella person. If not, she suggests interrogating the cultist that Balon beat senseless (aka Mr. Burns).

@Balon & Iowyn: Mr. Burns went down with my first shot. The first attack that was made.

Saera reloads her pistol before putting it back in its holster, then takes a look at the map and note. "Shall we check out the clearing on the map? Perhaps it's where this Vondrella currently is, or where they grow more flowers."

You just foiled the plan...park the wagon & hand out flowers to get people sick all that's left is to stop the ritual and (hopefully) recover the basin.

@Saera, oops, I thought you had shot the Snidely Whiplash one. Well, either way. We have one cultist with a gaping gunshot wound, and one who is still alive but badly beaten. Correct?

Iowyn nods in agreement, I agree. Let's follow the map.

@Iowyn: Correct, just wondered why the unconscious guy was attacked. Ah well, we're past that ;)

"We'll go stop this ritual!" Saera announces to Laurel. "Good luck curing everyone here meanwhile!"

We should stop this Vondrella quickly, before she finds someone else willing to pass out her flowers.

"Agreed, let's go to this clearing and put an end to whoever is behind all this."

How far is it to the clearing? Does the map indicate any other flower gardens between here and there? I'm thinking if it does, we should burn as many as we can. (Then again, giving away the path we're taking might be a bad idea...)

He nods. "I can scout ahead, if you'd prefer not to be taken by surprise."

The party heads out of town to search for Vondrella, who seems to be the orchestrater of this foul plot. A low melodic droning carries through the still air, interrupted by random screams of pain and pleasure. Ahead lies a clearing surrounded by low-hanging willow trees. In the center of the clearing rests a long, bone banquet table covered in mounds of bright red, orange, and yellow flower petals, human skull goblets dripping with wine, and alabaster platters filled with raw meat. In the center of the table rests a water-filled basin made of carved birch, from the center of which rises the wooden sculpture of a nude woman pouring water from a jar.

A dozen human revelers gorge themselves on mounds of flamebloom petals, wine, and raw meat. The diseased cultists dance and frolic around the gruesome banquet table, humming a macabre dirge interrupted occasionally by a bloodthirsty scream. A zombie stuffed with flowers and writhing with maggots stands near the table, its glassy eyes fixed on the woman at the table's head. The woman bears a maniacal grin and wild, sparkling eyes.

Map is updated.

Well... Iowyn whispers to the others after watching for a few moments, This is certainly disgusting. Any plans?

She grabs her crossbow and checks that it is loaded. Or we could always just jump in spells slinging and guns blazing, respectively, she adds with a wicked grin and a point to Saera's weapon.

Well... Iowyn whispers to the others after watching for a few moments, This is certainly disgusting. Any plans?

She grabs her crossbow and checks that it is loaded. Or we could always just jump in spells slinging and guns blazing, respectively, she adds with a wicked grin and a point to Saera's weapon.

"That was my plan. Now I'm out of ideas.

Whatever we do, I'll take my Dex mutagen now and Shield and Reduce Person extracts right before we move. At Tiny, I'll be stealthy enough to sneak if needed.

Crouching in the bushes, Kiyanetikert takes a flask from one of many pockets and downs it. There's a subtle change in the form beneath the gaudy robes and pouches and a new manic gleam in the eyes.

Saera's tail grabs hold of her pistol and delivers it to her hand. She returns Kiyanetikert's grin. "Get into the position you want and do whatever you need to prepare."

"Once everyone's ready, I'm moving straight in," Saera says as she moves forward so she stands next to Vincent.

"Sigh. How I wish I could join their feast. Alas, they must be stopped."

Balon pulls out his scythe, ready to do battle.

I don't suppose there is any use trying to talk to them. Granted, if anyone could talk some sense into them, I suppose it would be you, Balon. I'd just as soon walk over and loose a bolt between their leaders eyes...

Vincent readies his sword. I'll be going up the middle, with Balon. I will wait for you to open fire before engaging them.

Saera nods and moves forward. When she comes to a stop she quickly aims her pistol at the target fifteen feet north of her, and pulls the trigger.

Boom!: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Saera opens fire and the revelers scatter...only Veronda, a cultist with a bullet in his shoulder and a zombie remain.

Round 1

1. Calchas, Saera, Vincent
2. Vondrella, Zombie, Cultist
3. Balon, Iowyn, Kiyan

Well... At least we have fewer targets now... Iowyn notes sarcastically as the throngs run away.

Do the people fleeing have more of the flowers? Or are they just running for their lives?

Both...but they will be the responsibility of the clean-up crew the VC sends in later!

Vincent moves forward to stand beside Saera.

Double move.

Should have shot Vondrella instead of a flunky.

In preparation for battle, he draws his sword and crouches like a sprinter. When Saera's pistol sounds its call, he shoots forward with superhuman (supertengu?) speed at the now-injured cultist, slashing downward when he arrives.

Round 1: use 1 ki point to increase my speed for 1 round, close with the cultist, swing. I'm on my phone so I'll update my position when I get home.

Elven curve blade (flat-footed): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Damage: 1d10 + 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (10) + (2) + 3 = 15

As Vincent closes in on the Vondrella and her cronies, Callchas speeds forward and cuts down the cultist.

One down...two to go! Saera is up.

"I could've, but I wanted to take the small fry out first," Saera replies to Vincent and takes a step closer to the next 'small fry' she'll target.

Saera quickly reloads her pistol with a paper cartridge, then shoots the zombie.

Kaboom!: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Saera's slug separates the zombie's left ear from its head. Vondrella steps forward and begins casts a spell! The zombie swipes at Saera's ear…hoping to replace the one he just lost.

Attack vs. Saera: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9, Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Vincent, Calcas & Saera need to make a DC 14 Will save or -1 penalty on attack rolls and a -1 penalty on saving throws against fear effects. (Bane)

Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Will: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 = 13

Nooooo, so close

Iowyn moved north 30ft, and then fires a bolt at Vondrella.

Crossbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 5

Balon will move all the way up to right next to Vondrella.

"Surrender. You know you can't defeat us, and I really don't wish to harm fellow followers of the Pallid Princess."

Double move.

Kiyan moves up and throws a long bomb at Vondrella.
Bomb:Touch -3 range, -4 soft cover -4 in melee.: 1d20 + 8 - 11 ⇒ (20) + 8 - 11 = 17
Damage: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (1, 6) + 3 = 10
Critical: 1d20 + 8 - 11 ⇒ (9) + 8 - 11 = 6
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Exempting Balon from the Splash, as usual

I don't think splash weapons can ever crit, am I wrong there? Doesn't matter in this case since you missed with the confirmation roll...

Correct on both counts.

Both the Zombie and Vondrella remain standing! Cal, Saera & Vincent are up.

Reflex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

He steps to the other side of the zombie, putting it between himself and Saera. He slices at it with his sword and even darts his head in for a quick peck to the creature's neck, bracing himself against an expected explosion of flowers and pollen.

Round 2: 5-foot step, full attack against zombie

Elven curve blade: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 2 = 14
Damage: 1d10 + 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + (2) + 3 = 8

Beak: 1d20 + 0 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 0 + 2 = 21
Damage: 1d3 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + (5) + 1 = 7

As Calchas decimates the zombie it, of course, explodes! DC14 Fort for all adjacent...but it won't matter much since this fight will be over by the end of this round.